The Eternal Flame
by Matsui
Summary: Set during the timeskip, Rock Lee will have to fight for his friends, but when he loses the person closest to him how will he cope? Will Lee be able to keep the flame of youth burning or will it die, with his dreams? Pairing will be Lee/Hinata, Yosh!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls of all Persuasions; I, Matsui, bring you the greatest fanfic of all time. No I'm just kidding, this is my very first fanfic, but I still think it's pretty good. The story is set during the timeskip and the main pairing will be Lee/Hinata, but it won't come into play for awhile. I will make sure to update every week and every other week I will update twice...NO EXCEPTIONS (**unless I die**). Anyways, please review, even flames are accepted; what can I say Im a feedback-whore. Now, on to the story, read and let the fire of youth burn!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but my good friend Masashi Kishimoto does.Go Kishi!**

The young ninja sat in a sea of blood; he was covered head to toe in the crimson fluid. The coppery stench filled his lungs as he tried to steady his ragged breathing. Had the situation not been what it was, one would probably laugh at the boy's ridiculous appearance.

Sans the blood, the boy wore a hideously green spandex body suit, which was sickeningly tight. His arms were bandaged, he wore a red forehead protector around his mid-section, and he finished the goofy look with a pair of orange leg warmers. However the strange boy didn't stop there his pitch black hair was butchered into the shape of a bowl, and his eyebrows were so thick you could have never told that they were once separate entities.

But considering his state, no one was laughing. The boy slowly began to rise, he immediately fell back down, his body was totally drained. The smell of the plasma filled his nostrils, it was enough to make him vomit, but instead he began to cry.

He cried for the man that lay across from him, the body to whom most of this blood belonged to. "Oh Gai-sensei, forgive me," the boy screamed.

-FLASHBACK-

Lee! I have wonderful news, Konoha has decided to test the power of our youth", yelled an overexcited man.

Lee, the aforementioned boy, began to jump up and down with joy. While most would find this exchange weird Lee had been around Gai long enough to know that this meant they had received a high-ranking mission. Gai, who strangely looked exactly like Lee (except twenty years older) performed his nice-guy pose at the sign's of his student's 'display of youth'. This hideous pose consisted of him putting on a grin as big as his face and sticking a thumb up. It made him look strangely like a pedophile at an all boy's sleepover.

"The Hokage has given us an A rank mission, this is truly a treat for all our hard training Lee," explained Gai.

"Oh sensei I am so excited, I'm sure Neji and Tenten will be ecstatic as well," Lee chirped.

Truth be told Neji and Tenten would've been annoyed at having to put up with the two's happy-go-lucky attitudes on such a dangerous mission. Gai frowned, "Unfortunately the team won't be coming with us, the Hokage can't risk anymore ninja than us".

"Don't worry Gai-sensei I'm sure Neji and Tenten will make sure to keep their youthful fires burning while we are gone", Lee chimed in.

"Of course they will Lee, but we have to do our part too," Gai's tone had turned serious.

"Ever since Orochimaru's betrayal the Village has been short on ninja and we haven't been offered as many difficult missions, this has really hurt the village's economy Lee".

"Lee we have to burn our youth fire at full heat, and make this mission a success".

Lee's face turned just as serious as Gai's had, "Sensei I swear on my nindo that I will complete this mission, even if it costs me my life, "Lee bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Both of the green clad ninjas broke the tension with their signature pedo-esque poses. To the untrained eye it would look like the two ninja had reverted back to their strangely ridiculous behavior, but in reality they were preparing, sizing each other up.

At that instant they both yelled and instantly they were face to face; the two ninja simultaneously threw a punch at each other. The two fists slammed into one another, however Gai's managed to push Lee back a little. This move made Lee lose his balance for a split-second; the taijutsu master exploited this by continuing his attack with a well timed volley of punches at Lee's head.

However, all these years of constant intense training gave Lee the ability to successfully block each of the powerful jabs. The punches kept coming and began to push Lee back; with every punch he took his arms began to feel heavy. Lee knew he couldn't keep this up and hope to win, so he performed a quick duck, after which he raised up and started to slam his knee into Gai's gut. Gai grabbed his student's knee and launched him into the air.

Lee flew away at an odd trajectory, but he still managed to roll out and bounce back onto the balls of his feet, "This is just beginning Sensei", Lee roared.

With that he charged full speed at his sensei, and as he closed in he hurled the leg weights that he had just taken off straight at Guy.

'When the hell did he take those off' thought Gai. These weights were far from ordinary and if they hit the right spot, Guy knew he'd be dead.

Gai pumped as much chakra as possible into his forearm right before the first weight made contact. This quick-thinking move on Gai's part saved his arm from complete obliteration, but the weight still caused his arm to go limp with pain. With the next weight closing in, he knew he had to think fast.

'Ahah', Guy thought. He pushed so much chakra into his other arm that the chakra was pushed out of his hand, and it slowed the weight down considerably so Gai could catch the weapon.

At this point Lee was right on top of Gai, and he was prepared to end this fight and prove the intensity of his youth-fire. However, Gai had other plans, he launched the weight right at Lee's chest, and Lee quickly crossed his arms and used some chakra to brace for the attack. Unfortunately for him he was still thrown back like a rag-doll.

Gai immediately capitalized on this and in a second he was right in front of Lee. He quickly launched a high kick at Lee's forehead. Lee quickly crouched down and caught his sensei's leg.

"Gotcha sensei, Leaf whirlwind," roared Lee.

The young teen launched an amazing leg sweep at his opponent. Gai had been waiting for Lee to use his signature move though, and he countered by pushing off Lee's block. While in the air the master of taijutsu maintained perfect balance and he shoved his leg right into Lee's face. Gai followed through with the kick and the force was so much that he rode Lee's face across the battlefield like a surfboard, for a good distance.

When they came to a stop Guy was sure Lee wouldn't be getting back up for awhile after such a powerful move. 'This is my chance,' Lee thought; I can hit him with one-shot at full power and he won't be able to block it.

Lee slipped out from underneath his Sensei's foot and spun around in a crouching position. Lee then went into a handstand, and slammed both his feet into Gai's chest with as much power as he could muster. This move sent Gai soaring through the air; however the jounin was able to land in a crouching position on the other side of the field. When Gai went to stand, was when he realized the full power of Lee's attack as blood began to pour from his mouth.

Gai knew he would definitely need some medical treatment for these internal injuries. Lee was faring, just as bad if not worse, his nose was gushing like Niagara Falls and he had a killer headache to go with it. Both ninja laid on the ground breathing heavily in silence. At this point they both noticed it was night outside and they looked up to the stars with a renewed flaming passion.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

If only the two ninja could have read the sick fate the stars held for them that night...Next Chappie: The Last Mission Together!?

**A/N:So did you like it? Please Review, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ!! **


	2. Chappie 2: The Last Mission Together?

**Author's Note****: Yosh what a week it's been, I was really worried that no one would ever review. So first I'd like to say thanks to QuietChick for taking the time to review a noob like me's fic. And because of this I'vedecided no matter what the number of reviews I wont give up, because writing should be about getting your message out, and as long as I'm doing that then to hell with reviews. (However I would appreciate them). So here we go, LET THE YOUTH-FIRE BURN!!**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Naruto, but if I did Lee would have kicked Gaara's ass, HOOYAH!**

Rock Lee fought the overbearing urge to give in to death, as he slowly crawled his way through the destroyed field, as he made his way to his sensei.

"Gai-Sensei can you hear me, it's your pupil of youth Rock Lee", Lee stated. No answer. Gai's body didn't even move, the usually hyperactive man was lifeless.

"Oh, Sensei why did this happen to you, if only I hadn't got in the way.. if only". Lee lost consciousness and fell, with a light thud, on the dead body of Konoha's Taijutsu Master.

-FLASHBACK-

A young boy and man could be seen running at full speed through a forest, they were nothing more than green blurs amongst a quiet woodland background.

"Ah! Lee isn't it great out here, running through the beautiful tapestry that we know as nature", Gai practically yelled.

"Yosh! It is amazing Sensei!", Lee screamed back.

The two might have looked like they were oblivious to everything around them, but the man trailing them hadn't gone unnoticed by Gai. He decided to keep his cards under the table for now and resumed his conversation.

"Oh, the fire of youth burns in this budding forest oh so brightly, if we weren't on a mission Lee, this would be the perfect spot for training".

"Oh I could imagine it now"…Lee lost his sensei's voice amongst his own thoughts.

'Come to think of it Gai-sensei never told me what our mission was, all he said was to get my belongings packed, and to meet him at the front gate', Lee mused.

And when when I asked him if I could tell Ten-ten and Neji goodbye, he made me swear on my youth-fire that I wouldn't. What's going,on?

Before Lee had the chance to ask Gai anything he felt his body slam into the ground , and he heard the familiar sound of shuriken slicing through the air overhead.

"Lee, prepare for battle," the older ninja yelled. Lee dropped into his fighting stance, and everything else faded away, he was one with the battlefield.

The shuriken came at Lee like lightning, but he had seen it before they were anywhere near him. The young genin used his amazing reflexes to vault off the ground and jump right over the shuriken.

As soon as Lee was suspended in the air, his attacker appeared behind him, Lee smiled. This what he had wanted all along,in an instant his opponent swung two kunai right at Lee's neck.

Lee grabbed the ninja's forearms right before the kunai could pierce his neck, then he flipped over his enemy's back taking his opponent's arms with him.

Crunch! The sickening thud was like music to Lee's ears, but he wouldn't let up, this man had attacked his sensei and now he would have to face the justice of youth.

The bindings around Lee's arms began to unwind and wrap themselves around the two ninja. Instantly Lee flipped himself and the man over in midair.

"Initial Lotus", Lee screamed in his opponent's ear. They began spinning at unimaginable speeds as they plummeted towards earth.

BOOM!! The impact had made a huge explosion and had sent dust and debris everywhere.

'It's over there is no way he lived through that', unless he's Gaara, Lee chuckled to himself.

Lee began to walk away from his opponent who was sticking in the ground, as if he'd been a hammered nail.

"Oh, Gai-Sensei where are you, Lee began shouting".

Lee's search was cut short when he felt a slimy hand gripping his arm. "What the he"…Lee's arm was immediately snapped like a twig.

"Aaaaghhhhhhhh", Lee bellowed, the pain was unreal, and how in the hell was this guy still alive.

The ninja in question stood smiling at Lee, and the only thing weirder than his smile was his overall appearance. The boy looked to be about Lee's age and he had long pale yellow hair.

He wore a green jacket , a white shirt that said DIE!, in red letters, and black short-shorts with what seemed to be ballerina slippers. The boy's face was really disturbing, it was totally flat, his nose barely lifted off his face and his nostrils were two straight lines. Finally his eyes were slits containing two black lifeless dots.

"An eye for an eye, huh", the boy hissed, his voice sounded like a high-pitched violin.

Lee winced at the unbelievable pain in his destroyed arm, "how in the hell was this kid alive"?

"You are probably wondering how I'm alive right now huh", the boy chuckled.

"But I don't see how your why your so shocked, did you really think that your bitch-ass could even scratch a legendary Lotus".

"What are you, and what is a lotus", Lee asked.

"Sorry, but I ain't takin no orders from a pansy piece-a-shit like you, by the way the name is Sanji".

At that Sanji grabbed Lee by the throat, hoisted him in the air, and placed the tip of his blade on Lee's forehead. His lifeless eyes entranced Lee with fear and despair.

"Oh how rude of me what's your name pansy".

The fun-loving voice Lee usually used had been replaced with utter terror.

"My name.. my name is Rock Lee", he managed to stammer out through his growing dread.

"I think 'Pansy' suits you better, well goodbye bitch", Sanji said through a ridiculously large grin.

Gai had heard his student's earlier scream and had reacted immediately.

"Are you going to run boy", an old man asked Gai.

The two had been in the middle of a fight and the surrounding woodland had been almost totally destroyed during the encounter.

"Sorry, Sensei, but we will have to finish this later", Gai said trying to catch his breath.

"Meet me at the bridge two miles from the local village at dawn", the old man's harsh tone responded.

With that, Gai took off to save his special student. When Gai made it to lee's location he was greeted with a sight that made him sick to his stomach.

The snake-like ninja pulled his blade back, and thrust it at Lee's terrified face, but it never connected.

Gai ran full speed and within less than a second he jumped and slammed his leg into the back of Sanji's head.

"Dynamic Entry", Gai roared at the top of his lungs, what happened next even stunned Gai.

The taijutsu expert's kick went right through Sanji, creating a splash of water. "What in the hell", Gai said very confused.

'Oh so that's how he did it earlier', Lee thought, his confidence had returned now that Gai was with him.

"Gai-Sensei, watch out he has the ability to turn his body into water to avoid damage."

"Oh, I understand completely", Gai said as he did his signature pedophile pose. 'I have no idea what he's talking about'.

"Sorry to ruin the party pansies but I gotta split", a reformed Sanji, said through a yawn.

"That's right you better run before Gai-sensei unleashes his youth-fire on you", Lee cried triumphantly.

"Shut your yap dumbass! I ain't scared of no old pedo, but orders are orders", sanji retorted.

"Adios fagbags". With that the weirdest ninja Lee had ever met vanished in a puff of smoke.

During the entire ordeal Lee's fear had given him so much adrenaline that he had forgotten his broken arm, that was until the battle was over.

Suddenly Lee experienced the excruciating pain all at once , and it made the usually spunky ninja faint.

Before Lee could hit the ground, Gai caught him. He took the time to admire how much Lee had grown.

"Oh, Lee I hope you will forgive me for dragging you into this mess, but I find it hard to fight without you by my side".

Had Lee been awake, he would have noticed the tears of sadness leaking from his beloved sensei's face.

"Don't worry Lee I'll finish this last part on my own, I refuse to make you sacrifice for me anymore".

Dawn broke out over the small nameless village and a man clad in green spandex could be seen walking through the gate, his eyes were closed and he was at total peace. But if you looked closely enough you could see a single tear escape his eye.

On the other side of town, in a small inn, a boy was waking up. Lee ignored the pain in his heavily bandaged arm, and began to look for his sensei.

"Oh, Gai-sensei where are you"?

"Hello", Lee shouted to an empty room.

Then the young ninja spotted a note on the table, it was written in horrible illegible handwriting.

'This must be from Gai-sensei, he has such good handwriting'. If you had seen Lee's you would have probably agreed.

After Lee read the hastily made letter, he crumpled it in his hand, 'How could you Sensei.'

"I refuse to let you fight on your own", Lee screamed at the empty room.

After that the young boy ripped off his bandages, and ate a few food pills, Lee wasn't about to let his arm get in the way.

"I'm coming Gai-sensei", with that the boy in green spandex took off after his sensei's chakra signature.

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

Lee rushes to his sensei's side, but will his youth-fire be enough to save the person that means the most to him…Next Chappie: Sensei vs Student; Goodbye Forever my Friend.

**A/N: So, I hope this better than last time QuietChick and others. Oh and sorry for the cussing but that's just how Sanji is, what can I say, he is pretty cool in a weird way. If you have the time feel free to review; trust me I'll read em.**


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